Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid for humans due to the fact that the human body is not capable of producing the fats. This means that we must supplement omega-3 fats through supplements or diet. Omega-3 fatty acids consist of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Both eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid are typically found in fatty fish like salmon. On the other hand, alpha-linolenic acid is typically found in non-animal sources, such as, flaxseed, walnuts, and soybeans. Because alpha-linolenic acid is derived from plant sources, such as flax, vegetarians often exclusively use flax seed oil as a source of omega-3 even though, sadly, it doesn’t contain within it EPA or DHA. Humans are able to convert alpha-linolenic acid into eicosapentaenoic acid then, subsequently, into DHA, but this process is altogether very inefficient. This is partly because the enzyme that turns ALA into eicosapentaenoic acid is rate limiting, because of the fact that the same protein also chemically binds to omega-6 fatty acids (thus, the problem is significantly worse if your diet is high in omega-6).
In fact, many studies have shown that this chemical process is so inefficient at converting these fats that only 5% of ALA is transformed into eicosapentaenoic acid and only 0.5% of ALA finally makes docosahexaenoic acid. What this essentially means is that most vegans who assume that they’re getting the required amount of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid from flax seed oil, are actually deficient in both EPA and DHA omega-3. You might ask yourself why isn’t alpha-linolenic acid enough to satisfy the daily requirement? Actually, there most essential omega-3 fatty acids are EPA and DHA and most of the important functions are done by EPA and DHA.
Here’s where the really good news comes in (for vegetarians). There’s another vegetarian or vegan source of omega-3 fats, called microalgae, which has a very high amount of both EPA and DHA omega-3. What is algae oil and why is it a good vegetarian source of omega-3 fats? Microalgae are microscopic algae that grow abundantly in marine environments as well as freshwater. While fish oil is widely known for containing a high amount of EPA and DHA omega-3 fats, these fatty fish don’t actually manufacture omega-3 by themselves. Fish ingest algae, which have a high content of omega-3 fatty acids, then store the EPA and DHA in their fat tissues, and this is why fish oil is so high in omega-3 fats. Algae are also a much more sustainable source of EPA and DHA fats when compared to fish oil. This is because they have 5 times more biomass than even land plants and as much as 40 percent of that is in fats. Microalgae sources of omega-3 are the future supply of omega-3 fats.
Microalgal Oil that’s rich in docosahexaenoic acid is now available on the market, whereas, algae oil that is high in eicosapentaenoic acid is still limited. The very best vegan supplements that have EPA come from the microalgae, Spirulina. DHA-microalgal oil is obviously better source of DHA, when compared to flaxseed oil. This is because flaxseed derived ALA has to go through two inefficient conversion steps to become DHA, whereas, microalgal derived DHA doesn’t have to go through any whatsoever. It has also already been proven through documented research that algal supplements are able to raise bloodstream levels of DHA and EPA. This is demonstrated by one study where vegetarians with very low levels of omega-3 fats, began ingesting a single gram of microalgal supplements daily for 8 weeks, and significantly increased their levels of both eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid(Lipids 40 (8): 807-814). This is clear evidence for the fact that algae oil is an exceedingly superior vegan source of omega-3 fatty acids.
It is well documented that DHA omega-3 taken from fish oil is indeed very good for the cardiovascular system. Likewise, DHA ingested from algae oil has the same heart benefits. For example, vegetarians that took one gram of microalgal docosahexaenoic acid daily for 8 weeks, reduced their triglyceride levels by 23% (The British Journal of Nutrition 95 (4): 779-786). So there you have it, microalgal oil is a far better source of EPA and DHA and has very similar health benefits as the omega-3 from fish oil! These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not medical advice, if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician.
Thank you for taking the time needed to breeze through this, hopefully, informative article. If you are interested in learning a little more make sure to take a look at: Steam Showers For Sale, and Microalgae Oil.